*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review and is rated 18+

Thomas Aberthol has been searching desperately for a job after serving time in jail for hacking. His daughter, Hannah, is struggling with leukemia and Thomas is running out of time and options to save her. After making a public crowdfunding plea, his old college roommate Aleksander Sanna tracks Thomas down and offers him a deal: Marry him for the health insurance for Hannah in exchange for using his hacking skills to uncover the secrets behind Aleksander’s father’s murder.

This book went places I did not expect for one of those “fake marriage” books. I almost wish the thriller elements kept going beyond the end of the book; which I won’t spoil, but I can see why it ended the way it did.

Why I couldn’t quite give it 4 stars is because Thomas and Aleksander’s relationship jumps from hesitant to “I love you” way too fast. Practically within the turn of a page. It didn’t let me get invested in their relationship so I found my focus staying on the hacking plot which I enjoyed very much. 3.7 out of 5.

*This book was sent to me in exchange for an honest review and is rated 18+

Looking for a fresh start after being released from prison, Tommy secures a job at the Second Chance Ranch. Hoping only to keep his head down and lead a quiet life, he tries to resist his attraction to Cash and Red; two ranch hands who have obvious feelings for one another as well as Tommy. As the three of them grow closer, a much darker threat emerges as a dead body is found at the ranch.

This story was ok. Our three main leads have distinct and well written personalities but given the short length, nothing feels tight and contained; just underdeveloped. Everyone is just all in love right away and the mystery is very basic, more of a frame to hang the three way relationship on to. One good point I feel the need to mention is how the cops don’t immediately demonize Tommy because he’s an ex-con. It would have been so easy to use that trope and thankfully it wasn’t. A bit of a hollow experience overall. 3 out of 5.

*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review and is rated 18+

Working what should have been a typical shift at a customer service phone line for a gaming company, Mike is suddenly asked by a dragon to install the company’s entire catalog of games, necessitating the need to stay at the dragon’s home for several days. Zali’thurg like any dragon has a horde and games are his collection of choice. Now that Mike has proven himself competent, Zali’thurg insists he maintain and protect his collection not realizing Zali’thurg may want to keep him as well.

I LOVE how our main characters are so damn practical. Mike and Zee sit and talk about how they feel and their boundaries. They take some time to come together and work things out when they have a conflict. They are so damn forthright and honest, it’s adorable. And seeing how this is a paranormal romance set in modern day with a dragon that hoards video games, this could have fone VERY wrong and ended up a veritable cringe-fest of references. Thankfully, this book avoids that.

However, this book is hampered by its short length. Clocking in at only 100 pages, Katz has to get these two into the sack at least once before the end and once they do, it’s mostly exposition towards the end. But it was still cute! 3.9 out of 5.

*This book was sent to me in exchange for an honest review and is rated 18+

When Brien returns to his childhood home to scrounge up something he can sell to settle his debts, he doesn’t expect to find a thief named Scarlet attempting to burn the place down. Scarlet considers Brien to be a traitor to the forest as he as abandoned his birthright. But all the legends Brien has shunned or dismissed as heathen tales are suddenly very real and very dangerous, much like his attraction to Scarlet.

This book takes the heavy kink of something like Take it All and ads a hefty dose of faerie lore. Brien and Scarlet’s will they/won’t they does go on a tad too long but they develop good chemistry so they may have been thrown together but they work. It’s when the book gets DEEP into its lore that could turn some people off. I personally loved the detailed world building around our main character’s sexual relationship.

And that relationship is intense, graphic, BDSM and some dubious consent. Not for the faint of heart.

This isn’t insta-love but it is insta-lust that becomes love later. If that’s your jam and you enjoy historical fantasy, this is a great outing! 3.9 out of 5.

*This book was sent to me in exchange for an honest review and is rated 18+

Zane believes in love at first sight and he’s hunting for it so he can get married before his visa runs out and he has to return to New Zealand. Beckett prefers slowly getting to know someone; feeling hesitant after divorcing from his cheating spouse. When Zane needs a place to stay and Beckett offers up his spare room, they both feel a connection neither can resist but will love blossom before Zane must leave the country?

As a book nerd myself, I adored the banter between English professor Beckett and Zane, who isn’t familiar with literature and gets his words confused. I empathize with Beckett’s understanding and patience that not everyone knows what he’s talking about; which keeps Beckett from becoming unlikable and pretentious. This pairs well with Zane’s eagerness to learn so seeing them come together is believable and heartwarming. I really enjoy this series and look forward to the next one! 4 out of 5.

*This book was sent to me in exchange for an honest review and is rated 18+

Larry keeps his desires as a sub in the BDSM community strictly separate from the rest of his life. But when he meets Bo, Larry finds himself tempted to have more than scenes with this charismatic, dom. But a life ridden with betrayal keeps Larry from taking that risky leap.

Let me sum this up: They meet, they have a scene, they talk about their issues, then they’re fine. I honestly expected more given the premise but even with it being so short, the blew by so fast, I didn’t feel any tension or suspense. I respect the depiction of BDSM in this book, though. 3 out of 5.

Lilly wants nothing more than to be a superhero; to save lives, right wrongs, and bring justice to the bad guys. But she’s a Norm, meaning she wants to take on powerful villains with no powers. Her best friend and roommate Rose tries to talk sense but Lilly is undeterred, ending up in seep trouble rose may have to save her from.

The idea of a school for superheroes and villains is cool but with this story being so short, I feel like it didn’t have much of a chance to be explored. However, Lilly and Rose are a cute couple and the concept is interesting. Young adults looking for a quicky lesbian superhero story have a cute, clean read here but it flies by too quick for its own good. 3 out of 5.

*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review and is rated 18+

Jac Conway has always dreamed of working with dragons. Having joined the Academy, he is eager to work with them directly but novice students are not allowed near dragons. But when a prank by older students lands him smack in a dragon’s cave, he gets much more involved with them than he planned.

This is a pretty simple set up with the conflict centered around Jack being tricked into his initial encounter with his dragon mate rather than it happening by chance. That was a bit offputting but everything is consensual so no triggers here if you’re looking to avoid non-con.

It’s short with not much staying power but it’s cute enough. The best parts are the baby dragons. 3 out of 5.

*This book was sent to me in exchange for an honest review and is rated 18+

Rowen lives in scorched and lonely life in a village ravaged by heat storms. After losing her parents and his voice, the final straw is his fellow villagers leaving him exposed in the sun for a crime he didn’t commit. Before the heat can claim him, Rowen is rescued by Kristoff, a Storm Lord who came to break the heat storm with his powers and sensed Rowen has some abilities as well. Jumping at the chance to prevent the same sort of heat storms that claimed his parents, Rowen throws himself into his training but when his abilities flummox his mentor, Kristoff doubts he can be the man Rowen needs in every sense of the word.

Even without the romance, this would be a cool fantasy novel. The best parts are the world building and the magic, as well as Rowen himself as a sympathetic and determined character. From there this book wanders into mediocre territory where not much development is given to other characters, even Kristoff. Overall this balances out to a 3 out of 5 for me; good but not great.

*This audiobook was sent to me in exchange for an honest review and is rated 18+

Disowned by his hyper-religious, homophobic parents, Way’ra lands a job as a janitor at the Iron Eagle Gym. Only problem is he has nowhere to live so he secretly spends his nights sleeping in a closet at the gym. When gym member Neil McPherson develops a crush on the young man, Way’ra is desperate to keep his circumstances a secret. Neil is determined to get this shy young man back off his feet and out of his shell.

Holy crap, this was a long sit… First off everything came off as unintentionally funny because the narrator sounds like Mister Metokur, and I cannot blame anyone but myself for that comparison.

Secondly, this is another book where the couple has their insta-love but then… Nothing. They’re together. The rest is basically slice of life as they go about their days and meet up at home. And cook. And eat. And have sex. Then do it all again. I kept waiting for the third act breakup or SOMETHING but it never happens. Way and Neil are so sweet, I have diabeetus.

The religion thing just kinda pops up to remind the reader it IS still a thing and Way’s innocence can come off as a little creepy; like he’s too young to be in this story. All in all, I was just twiddling my thumbs waiting for the ending. This has a LOT of untapped potential to be explored and it’s a shame that opportunity was missed. 2.5 out of 5.